Method, apparatus, and system for capturing data exchanged between a server and a user

ABSTRACT

Data exchanged between at least one server and at least one user is intercepted in a capturing module that operates independently from the server and the user. A copy of the intercepted data is stored in a database. The intercepted data that is destined for the server is forwarded to the server, or the intercepted data that is destined for the user is forwarded to the user. The intercepting and storing are performed transparently to the user. Interception of data may be performed continuously, and storing of data may be performed during a predetermined time window or at predetermined time intervals. The intercepted data may include events, attributes, images, user identifications, requests, and/or responses. Only a predetermined portion of the data and/or data that satisfies predefined rules is stored. The user may be a web server or a web browser, and the server may be a web server. The data may be exchanged in the form of an Internet protocol and assembled into a web page view for the user. Interception and storing may be performed concurrently for capturing data exchanged simultaneously between a plurality of servers and the user, the server and a plurality of users, or a plurality of servers and a plurality of users.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICTIONS

This application is related to commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/061,489, filed Jan. 31, 2002, entitled “Method, Apparatus, and System for Processing Data Captured During Exchanges Between a Server and a User”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/061,491, filed Jan. 31, 2002, entitled “Method, Apparatus and System for Replaying Data Selected from Among Data Captured During Exchanges Between a Server and a User”. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus, and system for capturing data. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method, apparatus, and system for capturing data exchanged between a server and a user.

For systems employing interactions between a user and server, it is often desirable to be able to view the interactions, ideally in a manner that is transparent to the user. This is particularly desirable in a context such as sales, customer service, or e-commerce, where interactions between customers and a service provider are important indicators of customer satisfaction.

Attempts have been made to recreate interactions between a user and a server. For example, click stream analysis procedures have been used to recreate interactions between a web user and a web service provider. This type of procedure is analogous to reviewing and analyzing the script to a movie. While this procedure reveals some information about the interaction between the server and the user, it does not provide a clear tangible picture of special effects, the environment, chemistry between the user and the server, etc.

Other attempts have been made to replay recorded interactions between a server and a user. However, these attempts are typically implemented at the server and are thus suitable only for a particular type of server.

There is thus a need for a way of capturing data exchanged between a server and a user in a manner that is independent of the server and transparent to the user and that provides a full picture of the interaction between the server and the user.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus and system for capturing data exchanged between at least one server and at least one user.

According to exemplary embodiments, data from the user destined for the server or data from the server destined for the user is intercepted in a capturing module that operates independently from the server and the user. A copy of the intercepted data is stored in a database. The intercepted data destined for the server is forwarded to the server, or the intercepted data destined for the user is forwarded to the user. The intercepting and storing are performed transparently to the user. Interception may be performed continuously. Storing of data may be performed during a predetermined time window or at predetermined time intervals

According to exemplary embodiments, the intercepted data includes events, attributes, images, user identifications, requests, and/or responses. Only a predetermined portion of the data and/or data that satisfies predefined rules may be stored.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the user is a web server or a web browser, and the server is a web server. The data may be exchanged in the form of an Internet protocol and assembled into a web page view for the user.

Data may be exchanged between a plurality of servers and the user, the server and a plurality of users, or a plurality of servers and a plurality of users. The intercepting and storing may be performed concurrently for capturing data exchanged simultaneously between the plurality of servers and the user, the server and the plurality of users, or the plurality of servers and the plurality of users.

Further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary system for capturing data exchanged between a server and a user;

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary implementation of the data capturing system; and

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an exemplary method for capturing and recording data exchanged between a server and a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to exemplary embodiments, data exchanged between a server and a user is captured in a manner that is independent of the server and transparent to the user. In the following description, the server is referred to as a web server, and the user is referred to as a web browser. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention may be applicable to other types of servers and users.

FIG. 1A illustrates a system for capturing data exchanged between a server and a user according to an exemplary embodiment. The system includes a server, such as a web server 100, a data capturing module, such as a page capture module 110, and a user, such as a web browser 120. Although only one web server 100, page capture module 110, and web browser 120 are depicted in FIG. 1A, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to any number of servers, data capturing modules, and users.

The web browser 120 may be implemented in a personal computer, a telephone, etc. The web server 100 may be implemented as a server supporting any operating system, e.g., Unix, Linux, NT or Windows 2000.

The page capture module 110 is arranged between the web server 100 and the web browser 120. For security purposes, a firewall 115 may separate the web browser 120 and the page capture module 110.

The page capture module 110 operates independently from the web server 100 and the web browser 120. Thus, the page capture module 110 does not need to be customized for each type of web server but may be used with any web server, supporting any operating system.

Although the page capture module 110 operates independently from the web server 100 and the web browser, it may be implemented in the same device as the web server 100 or the web browser 120.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the page capture module 110 intercepts data exchanged over the Internet using the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Both HTTP (unsecure) and HTTPS (secure) protocols may be supported by the page capture module 110. For secure protocols, a security certificate is shared between the web server 100 and the page capturing module 110. In addition, other types of data stream protocols may be supported, e.g., eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and socket based data transfers.

According to exemplary embodiments, the page capture module 110 acts as a redirection or proxy server from the user's perspective. The page capture module 110 listens on a specified port, such as port 80 for HTTP or port 443 for HTPPS, and then redirects all browser requests to the web server 100, which is configured to listen on a port other than ports 80 or 443. Of course, if the page capture module 110 is implemented in the same device as the web server 100, the web server may listen on the same port. Web server responses are intercepted by the page capture module 110 and redirected back down to the web browser 120.

The page capture module 110 captures pages and other data exchanged between the web server 100 and the browser 120. Pages and other data may be captured continually or at designated intervals or time windows. The page capture module 110 may also record these pages and other data, or recording may be performed in a separate recorder server connected to the page capture module.

Each web browser 120 is assigned a unique machine identity (ID) by the web server 100. A persistent machine ID cookie may be created by the web server 110 and stored at the web browser 120 for this purpose. All pages served to a particular web browser 120 are identified and grouped by the machine ID.

Although the module 10 is described as a page capture module, according to exemplary embodiments, other types of data may also be captured. For example, events and attributes may be captured. Attributes may be captured in a manner similar to that in which pages are captured, as described above.

For event capturing, according to an exemplary embodiment an event capture module captures user side events and delivers these to the page capture module 110. The event capture module may be implemented as an applet 130 that is downloaded to the web browser 120. Although shown as a separate component, the event capture applet 130 is stored at the browser, with parameters such as the web browser machine ID, the host Internet Protocol (IP) address, and the current page name. The event capture applet 130 may be notified, for example, by JavaScript embedded in the current page, whenever an event needs to be recorded. The event capture applet 130 records events such as: page load, page unload, page scroll, page resize, and browser exit The event capture applet 130 sends captured events to the page capturing module 110 via, for example, a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) socket connection on port 80 (or port 443 for secure exchanges).

For event capturing, an HTTP request header containing a unique signature or identifier may be used to send a captured event to the page capture module 110. The unique signature may take the form of an application defined request header. Captured event data may include a browser machine ID, a page name, an event type ID, and event data.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the page capture module 110 intercepts HTTP requests that are identified as event captured HTTP requests and does not send the event captured HTTP request to the web server 110.

FIG. 1B illustrates an implementation of the page capturing system in a capturing, processing, and playback system. Pages and other data captured during exchanges between the web server 100 and the web browser 120 at the page capture module 110 are sent from the page capturing module 110 to a page preprocessor 125 via, e.g., a TCP/IP socket.

According to an exemplary embodiment, each captured page is assigned a unique page ID and is associated with a specific browser user machine ID. Each page may also contain the date and time that the page was captured and the page status (recording, processing, playback, etc.) After pages are captured, this information is extracted from the captured page, and a new record is inserted into a database 145.

The page preprocessor 125 acts as a recorder server and stores the captured data in a device such as a database 145. The pages 135 are passed on to the page post-processor 140. Alternatively, the page capture module 110 may perform this recording. To reduce the amount of storage necessary, only predetermined portions of data may be stored, e.g., the request portion or the response portion. Also, only data satisfying predetermined rules, e.g., rules indicating timing, may be stored. When the captured pages are recorded, identifying information may also be recorded, e.g., a session record ID, a date/time of recording, a machine ID, etc.

The post-processing module 140 determines which captured data satisfies predefined rules, e.g., business rules, and records this data in a file 180, such as a Java ARchive (JAR) file. The database 145 is updated to indicate what captured data has been selected and recorded for playback. An exemplary post-processor is described in more detail in the afore-mentioned application entitled “Method, Apparatus, and System for Processing Data Captured During Exchanges Between a Server and a User”.

A playback tool 190 selects recorded data from the database 180, using the information in the database 145. An exemplary playback tool is described in more detail in the afore-mentioned application entitled “Method, Apparatus, and System for Replaying Data Selected From Among Data Captured During Exchanges Between a Server and a User”.

Although not shown in the interest of simplifying the illustrations, it will be appreciated that the system in FIG. 1B may also include other components, e.g., configuration files used for processing and log files use for storing information for debugging, etc.

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary process for capturing data exchanged between a server and a user. The process begins at step 200 at which the page capture module 110 receives a request/response from the web browser 120 or receives a response/request from the web server 100. The page capture module 110 passes the request/response to the web server 100 or the web browser 120, respectively. At step 205, the page capture module 110 determines whether the request/response is eligible for recording based on, e.g., on timing, content type (for example, text or HyperText Markup Language (HTML)), positioning on a page, etc. If not, the process proceeds to step 210, at which no action is required. If the request/response is eligible for recording, a determination is made at step 215 whether a browser machine ID cookie exists. If not, an attempt to create the cookie is made at step 220. A determination is made at step 225 whether the cookie is created successfully. If not, a cookie create failure is created, and the request/response is redirected to the web browser 120 (or the web server 100) at step 230. Instead of a cookie, it will be appreciated that any other form of persistent ID may be used. For example, a persistent ID may be created using Uniform Resource Locator (URL) rewriting.

If the cookie (or other persistent ID) is created successfully or the browser machine ID cookie exists, a determination is made whether event capturing is enabled, e.g., whether the event capture applet 130 has been notified that an events needs to be recorded, at step 235. If not, the page is sent to the page preprocessor at step 240. Otherwise, the event is captured at step 245.

An exemplary process for recording captured requests and responses is shown in FIG. 2B. The process begins at step 250 at which a page preprocess thread is created. At step 255, a determination is made whether there is an event type request header. If not, the last page ID for the current browser machine ID is obtained at step 260, and the captured event is recorded at step 265. If there is an event type request header, a page table entry for the captured page is inserted at step 270 and stored, e.g., in the database 145. At step 275, the next available page ID is retrieved. At step 280, the captured data, e.g., page and attributes, are recorded.

According to exemplary embodiments, a user interaction with a server is captured. For a web user and a web server, this information may be used to recreate the web experience of the user. For example, in a customer service context, the flow of customer inputs and the text and images that are displayed on the pages that are viewed by the customer may be captured and recorded. In such a context, this recreation will provide contact center personnel the ability to observe the customer's experience for the purpose of analyzing how well service was delivered and whether or not the needs of the customer were met. The invention may also be useful in other contexts, such as sales or e-commerce.

According to exemplary embodiments, all the user actions within a browser session may be captured, without degrading the performance of the browser session or web host environment. Also, all captured data may be transmitted efficiently with low network bandwidth utilization. Thousands of concurrent users may be supported simultaneously, with the recording of a large number of sessions that are simultaneously occurring on different web sites provided by various web servers.

It should be understood that the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are by example only. A variety of modifications are envisioned that do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention. The above description is intended by way of example only and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. 

1. A system for capturing data, comprising: at least one server; at least one user, wherein the server and the user exchange data; at least one proxy server connected between the server and the user and operating independently from the server and the user, wherein the proxy server intercepts data exchanged between the server and the user, stores a portion of the intercepted data, and forwards the data from the server or the user to the user or the server, respectively; and a filter coupled to the proxy server wherein the filter identifies the portion of the intercepted data by determining if the intercepted data satisfies a predefined rule, thereby producing filtered data for the proxy server to store and discarding intercepted data that does not satisfy the predefined rule; wherein the filter works in real-time to filter the intercepted data before the portion of the intercepted data is stored, thereby reducing storage requirements; wherein the user is a consumer visiting a site associated with said at least one server; wherein the intercepted data is for use in analyzing the consumer's behavior on the site.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server performs intercepting and storing transparently to.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of events, attributes, images, user identifications, requests, and responses.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is exchanged in the form of an Internet Protocol and is assembled into a web page for display to the user.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein only a predetermined portion of the data used to display the web page is stored.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein only requests or responses are stored.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is a web server or a web browser, and the server is a web server.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is intercepted continuously and is stored during a predetermined time intervals.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored data is used for replaying data exchanged between the server and the user.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein data exchanged between a plurality of servers and the user, the server and a plurality of users, or a plurality of servers and a plurality of users is captured.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein data simultaneously exchanged between the plurality of servers and the user, the server and the plurality users, or the plurality of servers and the plurality of users is captured concurrently.
 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a playback module configured to generate a playback environment configured to present exchanged data to a reviewer substantially as the exchange occurred.
 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time window comprises a period of time during which usage of the proxy server is expected to be low.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time interval is based upon an expected interaction volume.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein visiting a site comprises communicating with the server.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein analysis of consumer behavior comprises determining quality metrics associated with an interaction.
 17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data store configured to receive filtered data from the proxy server and to store the filtered data, the filtered data comprising a portion of the intercepted data.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the portion of the intercepted data to be stored comprises data exchanged between the user and the server, and one or more of a customer identification, a time and data stamp, resolution, interaction length, customer account information, contact information, interaction type, or interaction notes.
 19. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server comprises a chat server configured to enable a contact center agent to interact with a customer.
 20. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server comprises a web server configured to receive universal resource locator requests, parse the requests, and provide a requested web pages responsive to the universal resource locator request.
 21. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server comprises a voice over internet protocol server operable to communicate packetized voice data between an agent and a user.
 22. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server comprises an electronic mail server operable to communicate electronic messages between an agent and a user.
 23. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the intercepted data to be stored is stored in a Java archive file format.
 24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a firewall configured to block malicious connection requests to the server and the proxy server.
 25. The system of claim 1, wherein the exchange data is encrypted. 